Volume 9 Edition 2 2012 - The ASIA Miner

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Central Asia Plant commissioning under way at Dalabai Core samples from Central Asia Resources’ Dalabai project in Kazakhstan. COMMISSIONING of the processing plant at Central Asia Resources’ Dalabai Gold Project in Kazakhstan is under way. Once commissioning is complete leaching will begin on 25,000 tonnes of ore with full-scale leaching expected to start by the end of March. Commissioning began in late January following a delay in deliveries of cyanide to the project owing to changes in Kazakh industrial chemical regulations and a further delay caused by extreme cold temperatures in mid- January. The extreme temperatures posed a risk to successful start-up when cyanide solution is first applied to the heap and before the chemical process of leaching begins. These risks are specific to the first few days of heap leaching and will not impact on ongoing mining or heap leach operations, which will continue throughout the winters at Dalabai. Despite the delays, crushing and stacking continued on stockpiled material and about 120,000 tonnes of ore will be ready for leaching when regular cyanide deliveries begin by the end of March. Central Asia also paused mining operations during this period but they will resume once the company produces gold-in-resin as this will confirm timing of revenue and the completion of a mine engineering review. Managing director Angela Pankhurst says the company also took this opportunity to optimize operations. “Consultant mining engineer Stewart Brown has been reviewing operations and is providing the training necessary to implement improvements and realize significant cost savings.” The Dalabai resource stands at 3.98 million tonnes @ 0.97 grams/tonne gold for 124,000 ounces. Processing will commence at an annual rate of 15,000 ounces and this will ramp up to an annual average of 25,000 ounces of gold and 550,000 ounces of silver for 2.7 years. There is significant exploration upside to increase production and mine life. Chris Campbell-Hicks completed his contract as country manager on January 31 and the company has appointed Marat Medueov as plant manager and consultant metallurgist, and Duncan Greenaway as chief operating officer. Gary Patrick will assist with commissioning and optimization. Central Asia also has the Altyntas heap leach gold project which is being prepared for development in 2013. The resource stands at 16.5 million tonnes @ 1.14 grams/tonne gold for 598,000 ounces and this year the company aims to carry out test work, exploration and a scoping study. There are also the Kepken and Kengir projects which have the potential to provide feed for the Altyntas operation. To date Kepken has 11 million tonnes @ 1.16 grams/tonne for 438,000 ounces while Kengir has 2.62 million tonnes @ 1.4 grams/tonne for 125,000 ounces as well as copper potential. There is also the early exploration Bizhe project which has potential to provide feed for Dalabai as it is just 18km away. El Maniel seeks Kyrgyz opportunities EL MANIEL International has entered into preliminary discussions with several parties to explore mineral resources opportunities in the Kyrgyz Republic. The company held a number of meetings in the capital, Bishkek, and is considering setting up representative companies and offices there in the immediate future. El Maniel’s CEO Jamie Khoo says, “We were thrilled to learn from preliminary discussions that Kyrgyzstan is mineral rich with significant world-class gold deposits and this meets our predominant interest and objectives in pursuing new horizons for our gold business domain. We also believe these initiatives will open doors to promising gold resources in the Central Asian region.” The Kyrgyz Republic is in the heart of Central Asia and the mountainous country, which is about the size of the US state of Washington, is landlocked and bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east. Its capital and largest city located in the north of the country is Bishkek. The country’s largest gold mine, Kumtor, is also one of the largest world-class gold mines in Central Asia and is operated by Centerra Gold. El Maniel International, a company quoted and traded on the US OTC Market, also has projects in Ghana and Papua New Guinea, where it has established a base camp for a new project at the Bulpat Creek on Misima Island. “We are very excited with this promising new asset totalling 108 acres and based on the geological survey report issued in 2009 for this alluvial claim, the projected gold reserve is estimated to be in the region of 85,000 ounces valued at US$136 million at a gold price of $1600 per ounce,” Jamie Khoo says. Misima Island has a total land area of 202.5sqkm and the project site has excellent road access from the sea port in Misima town and Misima airport. There is also alluvial gold mining equipment in place. The company’s projected initial monthly alluvial gold production from the project is estimated at 500 ounce. “We remain aggressive in our endeavours to enhance the top-line growth of the company and we believe that this can be achieved through new acquisitions or joint ventures in world-class gold mining properties so as to increase our bottom line and to take the company to greater heights,” adds Jamie Khoo. 56 | ASIA Miner | March/April 2012
HAMBLEDON Mining looks set to benefit from an injection of funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for development of underground operations at Sekisovskoye Gold-Silver Project in Kazakhstan. The EBRD posted a project summary document (PSD) on its website earlier this year relating to a potential US$15 million debt facility along with an equity investment of US$3 million for Hambledon’s underground plan and other group projects. It is also proposed that EBRD will be issued with warrants to a value of US$2 million. In the PSD, EBRD says, “The bank supports the development of responsible mining and pursues projects that increase private sector participation, and are committed to improving environmental standards and energy efficiency. The investment in Sekisovskoye which the EBRD is considering will contribute to further improvements of the application of best environmental, health and safety standards at the deposit.” Hambledon’s CEO Tim Daffern says, “We are very pleased by the prospect of this partnership with EBRD. The Board is excited about the future of the company which can only be enhanced by having the backing of a lender and investor of the stature of EBRD.” Meanwhile, Hambledon continues to advance its underground drill program to validate and expand the geological resources at Sekisovskoye. There have been 67 holes completed for more than 9000 metres in the upper levels of the underground ore zones and the results are consistent and in many areas exceed the geological and mineral resource modelling previously carried out. The best most recent intersections include 9 metres @ 4.86 grams/tonne gold, 2 metres @ 3.5 grams/ tonne and 4 metres @ 2.62 grams/tonne. The Sekisovskoye deposit comprises about 10 large mineralized zones intermingled with numerous shallow and sinuous mineralization zones. These zones show wide variation in thickness from 0.35 metres to 30 metres, with a weighted average of 5.5 metres. They display a localized pinch and swell structure with variable gold and silver content. The large average width makes for easier and lower cost mining. The ore body to be mined in 2012 is ore Central Asia Potential funds boost for Sekisovskoye body number 11 where mining started in the final quarter of 2011. The drill results and mined grade compare favourable and provide robust confirmation of the geological model. Good progress has been made in expanding the underground mining zones with three levels being mined and a fourth was due to begin in February. Ground conditions have been good and water inflow within the excavation zones minimal, providing confidence that the bulk mining methods to be employed later will be technical feasible. March/April 2012 | ASIA Miner | 57
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March/April 2012 | Volume 9 | Issue
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From The Editor Indonesia a hotspot
Page 8: Indonesia Kopex funds to complete T
Page 12: Indonesia 1.18 million ounce maiden
Page 15 and 16: Indonesia Encouraging assays from Z
Page 18: Indonesia Waterfall drilling confir
Page 22 and 23: ’ ’ Project Survey 2012 Annual
Page 24: ’ ’ Project Survey 2012 Mine In
Page 28: Project Survey 2012 Project Name Lo
Page 31 and 32: No job too big MULTIFLO ® Dewateri
Page 34: China Production imminent from Jian
Page 38: China Sino Prosper seeks Guizhou go
Page 42 and 43: Mongolia Coking coal confirmed at N
Page 44: Philippines Study progresses for Ma
Page 48 and 49: Vietnam Feedstock negotiations for
Page 50 and 51: Australia Bandanna on track for 201
Page 52 and 53: Australia Aquila approves Eagle Dow
Page 54 and 55: Malaysia Lynas receives temporary l
Page 56 and 57: Papau New Guinea Final green light
Page 60 and 61: India India next Asian hub for mini
Page 62: 2012 Calendar PDAC 2012 March 4-7,
Page 65 and 66: Drilling & Blasting On the other ha
Page 67 and 68: Drilling & Blasting Playing it Stra
Page 69 and 70: Supplier News -35 to +35). To prote
Page 72: ADVERTISING INDEX AEL Mining Servic
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